Meet Our Teachers
Photo by Jeffrey Bosdet
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Jeff Hopkins
Co-Principal & Teacher
Jeff is the founder and Principal Educator of the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry. Jeff has been a teacher since 1993, and has taught a wide variety of subjects at the high school level. Before PSII, he has also been a counsellor, a principal, a school district superintendent, and the Safe Schools Coordinator for the BC Ministry of Education. He often refers to the PSII’s interdisciplinary and inquiry-based approach as “education as if people mattered.” This was also the title of his 2015 TEDx Victoria talk. His second TEDx talk in 2017 was about how innovation in education is essential for sustainability as a species.
In 2013-14, Jeff was the University of Victoria’s first “Educator in Residence,” offering support and inspiration to education students and faculty in their contemplation of what an education system could be. A few years later, was named UVic’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2018. Jeff is often invited to present his ideas on education and schools at dozens of conferences throughout BC, in other provinces, and internationally.
He is currently adding to his knowledge about education through a PhD in Neuroscience where he is studying brain activity associated with different approaches to teaching and learning. He recently became a SSHRC scholar for his work in that area. Jeff is a husband and father of two grown children who both graduated from PSII.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Brie MacDonald
Teacher
Brie has been teaching in inquiry-centred education for almost 20 years. She landed at PSII in 2021, but it has been her dream school since it opened in 2013. Her work as an educator has always been dedicated to supporting learners in meeting their own goals through relational-based teaching, inquiry-based learning, and learner agency. Her joy in teaching is the day-to-day practice of walking with learners on their different paths. For Brie, relationships are central to learning, and PSII’s structures allow her to focus on the trusting and supportive relationships that can be created between educators and learners.
Brie’s main characteristic as a human is probably her curiosity about everything. She knows from experience that curiosity is contagious, and that it is the best tool she can bring to inquiry. She deeply enjoys an interdisciplinary approach and considers herself a generalist educator, having taught all the “subjects” over the years to a whole range of ages, from pre primary all the way through high school. When people ask her what she teaches, she always responds with “I am an expert in learning how to learn!”
Brie brings a wide range of experiences earned through an eclectic work history that includes theatre, agriculture, alternative health, international tourism, and neuroscience laboratories. She also has too many passions in life, including fibre arts, music, art, writing, psychology, reading, compassionate communication, and being outside in nature. If you are curious and excited about something, Brie probably will be too!
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Jenna Swett
Teacher
Jenna landed at PSII during her first practicum in the education program at UVic. She did everything in her power to ensure her practicum would be at PSII after hearing Jeff speak with her cohort during a Technology Education class. Six months after an inspiring and eye opening practicum, Jenna was hired at PSII.
Before entering the Post-Degree Professional Program in Secondary Education, Jenna graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Art Education. The parts of her undergraduate degree she enjoyed the most were inquiry-style assignments where she was given the freedom to learn what she was interested in through specific lenses such as Victorian children’s literature or the literature of British Columbia. She also did an inquiry on tomatoes in an Inquiry in Art Education class she took, which was her first formal introduction to inquiry as an educational model.
She finds that the flexibility and individualization embedded in the educational philosophy at PSII leads to meaningful engagement and enjoyment of learning in a way that she had never before seen or experienced in a formalized manner. The expansive, interdisciplinary learning that is possible at PSII gives Jenna the opportunity to work with learners in community contexts frequently, which is a passion of hers. Jenna greatly enjoys the excitement and unpredictability of learning within an inquiry model.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Jean-Baptiste Wagret
Teacher
Jean-Baptiste (if your French Immersion days are long gone, you can call him J-B) grew up in Paris, France. He studied Civil Engineering, and worked for ten years as a construction project manager, both in France and Canada. He also worked as a car mechanic, bank clerk, motorcycle safety driving instructor, dog sledding crew member, etc. He transitioned to teaching in 2018. He speaks 3 languages and a half, and is the father of a lovely (and goofy) eight-year-old.
Even if he didn’t know it at first, J-B has always learned through inquiry – from taking apart his first stereo to “fix it”, to changing the engine of his van or upgrading the electrical wiring of his house. He did most of it on his own, but when stuck he figured out who to ask, and where to find useful information.
Jean-Baptiste’s areas of expertise include physics, math, DIY, and French. You might also find him in the kitchen making crêpes. He loves teaching at PSII because it gives him TIME to connect with the learner. One-on-one interactions allow him to understand what the learner’s interests are, how they think, and what they need.
He cherishes the freedom he has as a teacher here: he explores concepts in new and stimulating ways, and empowers the learner to break conventional barriers between subject areas.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Kyra Kelpin
Teacher
Kyra is a teaching artist. She is grateful to work, live, and create on the unceded territory of the Lekwungen-speaking peoples: the Esquimalt and Songhees Nations. Kyra’s personal studio practices focus on darkroom photography, drawing, multimedia collage, and instinctive painting processes. In her teaching she prioritizes relationships, curiosity, individualized structure and support, and embodied research practices.
Kyra completed her Visual Arts degree in 2011 and began working in classrooms and in community teaching visual arts, sewing, and meal preparation. Kyra felt driven to expand her teaching practice to be cross-curricular in response to learner curiosity, while still focusing on skill development, supporting movement towards greater independence, and confidence building. Kyra later returned to UVic to complete a teaching degree. As part of the teacher education program, Kyra came to PSII for her first practicum and gained experience teaching through inquiry. Three days after completing her teacher-training in 2018, Kyra began teaching at PSII and has been here ever since.
To continue her professional development, Kyra completed her Masters in Education through the Art Education department at UVic in 2024. This research-based learning has added depth to the way that Kyra teaches as she engages in a personal, ongoing, self-location process.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Nahomi Lopez
Support Staff
Nahomi was first introduced to inquiry learning when she arrived at PSII to complete her high school education. After moving from Mexico City, Nahomi learned how learning through inquiries helped her achieve her goals. She became interested in the way teachers support learning in this model and how they help learners achieve their goals through cross curricular learning.
After her graduation from PSII, she continued her education at the University of Victoria, completing a psychology degree with a minor in business in 2023. Nahomi joined PSII as a staff member in 2020, supporting international students to adapt to Canadian culture and become proficient in English. In her current role at PSII, she supports learners in areas like learning Spanish, time management skills, and social justice issues. She also assists PSII in an administrative capacity. Nahomi approaches learning from a place of curiosity and from an outsider’s perspective on Canadian culture.
Nahomi intends to pursue an education degree in the future, which will allow her to apply all the knowledge she has obtained at PSII, both as a learner and staff member. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue to learn and grow at PSII.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Kennedy McCrea
School Counsellor
Kennedy graduated from PSII in 2017 and went on to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Health and Society, at the University of Victoria. As part of her master’s in counselling psychology at Yorkville University, she had the privilege of returning to PSII for her counselling practicum. She is deeply grateful to now be back in a counselling role, supporting staff, learners, and families.
Kennedy provides a safe, person-centered, and empathetic space for young people to explore their experiences. She specializes in supporting individuals as they navigate challenges such as anxiety, self-esteem, and life transitions. Her goal is to empower learners to uncover their inner strength and resilience while moving toward clarity, confidence, and balance.
She has always been drawn to the helping profession and brings several years of experience as both a Behaviour Interventionist and Student Engagement Facilitator in the Sooke School District. She has experience supporting children with complex trauma and adverse childhood experiences, helping them build social-emotional learning skills that strengthen their capacity for growth and connection. With a strong background in behaviour science and intervention, school safety, and mental health, she is dedicated to fostering a safe and supportive school environment.
Beyond her professional life, Kennedy enjoys travelling, reading, exploring new interests, and tending to her newest passion – her flower garden.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Jessica Asp
Co-Principal & Teacher
Jessica is a mother of two, a world traveler, a fibre artist, a reader, a sometimes writer, and a passionate educator. Jessica has been at PSII since its inception and finds great joy in exploring, with learners, the questions that are meaningful to them. She recognizes there is something vital in co-creating a learning pathway for a learner that is based on their curiosity, their perspectives, their experiences, and their goals. She takes seriously her responsibility to create a learning environment where people can challenge themselves to do things they never thought they could, to see themselves in ways they haven’t before, and to find solutions that can have positive impacts on those in and outside of the school.
Jessica has had a variety of educational experiences – from a stay-at-home mom who modeled what it was like to wonder about every observation she made (my first inquiry teacher!), to boarding school in Switzerland, to a B.Sc. in Biochemistry at McGill University, to a B.Ed. at the University of Victoria. She has lived all across Canada (including the North) and has taught homeschoolers of all ages, high school in a village in rural Kenya, and here at PSII. This diversity of teaching experiences has contributed to her understanding that learning happens everywhere and that a teacher’s role is to support learners to step outside what is already comfortable into a place where they feel challenged, excited, and well-resourced.
You will often see Jessica taking learners on school trips (Japan, Peru, New York City), working with learners in the lab to answer their “what if…?” and “how…?” questions, showing learners how to use the loom to weave cloth, and looking at interesting math questions from as many perspectives as she and the learners can come up with.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Clare Lannan
Vice Principal & Teacher
Clare Lannan is a multimedia artist, rabbit hole researcher, inquiry educator, Do-It-Yourself queen, wrestling aficionado, and lover of all things miniature. Clare started at PSII in January of 2022, after completing a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts with a focus on sculpture from the University of Victoria. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts and a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Art Education. Alongside teaching, Clare volunteers her time with a youth artist collective and exhibits her work in local art galleries.
Clare has wanted to be a teacher since she was 7 years old. PSII allows everyone (teachers and learners) to work outside the box to find novel ways of expanding their learning. Clare approaches inquiry teaching with an intersectional and inclusive lens, grounding herself in lived experience to meet everyone where they are.
Clare sees “weaknesses” as a way to forge connections and find community, knowing that our strengths are what we can offer to others and vice versa. Her unending curiosity for everything going on around her, even if she has no prior connection to the subject, makes PSII the perfect place for her enthusiastic support of learning.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Emma Wilde
Teacher
Emma is a multidisciplinary artist and educator with a background in music, dance, theatre, and textiles. She completed a BFA with a double major in Theatre and English from the University of Victoria in 2021, and a Bachelor of Education in 2022. Emma was homeschooled from grade 1-12 and had the gift of her own inquiry-based education, training in classical ballet and piano as a young child, running her own sewing business as a teen, and teaching fine arts throughout her life. Emma loves being at PSII and teaching in an environment where the learner’s needs, agency, and curiosity are at the centre of everything. She loves helping learners discover new passions, and uncover the interdisciplinary possibilities in their own questions. Highlights of her time at PSII include supporting learners to write and perform the “PSII Show”, teaching academic writing skills, and a week-long trip to New York City with learners in February 2025.
When not at PSII, Emma is active in the theatre community, volunteering and performing in local productions and sitting on the board of the Victoria On Stage Musical Theatre Society. She also loves reading, crossword puzzles, being outdoors, and working on her own textiles projects.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Jen Lowe
Teacher
Before discovering her love for teaching, Jen’s primary passion was animal sciences, particularly ecology, behaviour, and evolution. Her time was spent developing skills through formal education (Bachelors of Science) and practical experience. Jen is a life-long learner of the natural world and conducted her own evolutionary study on the dietary habits of the three-spined stickleback in Haida Gwaii. A love for educating others was sparked while working at the Victoria Bug Zoo. This led her to pursue and complete a teaching degree at UVic. Now she works at PSII where she can combine her passions for both animal sciences and education.
At PSII, Jen’s teaching practice centres around building relationships, imparting curiosity, and helping the learners at PSII to discover their interests and develop relevant skills. Jen builds trust with learners, lets them know that they are seen, and helps them cultivate the autonomy and confidence to follow their own path. She loves the opportunity to share meaningful experiences with learners; going on a wildlife research expedition in the Peruvian Amazon in 2024 was one of the very best experiences of her life! Jen co-created the PSII garden and enjoys cultivating it with learners. PSII has helped Jen deepen her love of teaching and to learn new ways of teaching and learning, and she is so grateful to be part of the PSII team. When not at PSII, Jen loves to work in her garden, sing in a community choir, be immersed in nature, and care for her animal companions.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Drew Murgatroyd
Teacher
Andrew Murgatroyd (Drew) started teaching at the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry in 2020. He holds a BSc in Biology with a focus on Marine Biology and completed the Post-Degree Professional Program at UVic in 2009. Over the past 16 years, Drew has taught in diverse settings—from BC Offshore schools in Beijing and Shanghai to Class Afloat, a Canadian high school that sails around the world. As a teacher and ship’s captain, he sailed to more than 20 countries across four continents.
Outside the classroom, Drew is a musician and songwriter, currently performing in a 9-piece band. He’s also a father of two daughters.
Drew joined PSII seeking a more meaningful way to support learners. He is passionate about inquiry-based education, where learning is grounded in curiosity, real-world application, and interdisciplinary thinking. He focuses on helping learners develop transferable skills, explore their interests, and express themselves creatively.
Currently, Drew is developing The Open Studio, a multi-use creative arts hub within PSII. The space fosters public access to music, art and collaboration, giving youth a place to learn, play, and connect inside and outside of school.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Marcus Pienaar
Teacher
Marcus is a science educator, maker, and lifelong tinkerer with a background in microbiology and years of experience teaching in diverse environments—including a year teaching in Tokyo. He arrived at PSII after several years as a senior science teacher and lab manager, where he supported learners in developing independent projects and conducting hands-on experiments. Marcus thrives in spaces where curiosity is the compass and learners are empowered to explore and create.
At PSII, Marcus brings a strong foundation in lab-based sciences, electronics, and 3D printing, but what fuels his practice is his belief that meaningful learning comes from agency, relevance, and experimentation. He sees inquiry not just as a method, but as an invitation—for learners to test ideas, build things that matter to them, and discover their own way of thinking.
Marcus especially enjoys working with learners to bridge disciplines, whether that means coding a robotic system to solve a problem, designing a custom game mechanic, or asking questions that no textbook can answer. He values the freedom PSII offers—to follow a hunch, to fail forward, and to collaborate deeply with learners. For Marcus, this is what education should be: curious, creative, and alive.
Photo by Brianna Mellings
Dave Morris
Artist Mentor
Dave Morris is a poet, magician, and storyteller, but mostly he’s an
improviser. He is the artistic director of Victoria’s Paper Street Theatre, and the creator of 52 Stories – a storytelling show that
place inside his memory palace. He’s been working at PSII since 2016 teaching all things creative: improv, magic, poetry, video game
design, and so much more. The only thing he likes more than teaching, is learning.